Firstly, is a heatsink fan suppose to suck air in towards the heatsink (where it escapes from the sides from the heatsink) or should the fan blow it away from the heatsink (therefore it sucks it in through the sides of the hs)?

Secondly a case fan. Should it suck cold air in or blow hot air out?

Thirdly. If you take the side panel off, is better or worse in terms of cooling. Does it disrupt fast airflow columns inside an eclosed case or is just better?

Maverick123w

01-05-11, 12:06 PM

Firstly, is a heatsink fan suppose to suck air in towards the heatsink (where it escapes from the sides from the heatsink) or should the fan blow it away from the heatsink (therefore it sucks it in through the sides of the hs)?

Secondly a case fan. Should it suck cold air in or blow hot air out?

Thirdly. If you take the side panel off, is better or worse in terms of cooling. Does it disrupt fast airflow columns inside an eclosed case or is just better?

A HSF will suck air down to the heatsink.

A case fan should be an intake (suck) or exhaust (blow) depending on it's location in the case. As a general rule you want a fan intaking cool air from the front, a fan exhausting hot air out the rear of the case.

The case off can lower the temp of some components, but with proper airflow an enclosed case should give you the best temps.

bob saget

01-05-11, 01:17 PM

For a heatsink, i believe a fan blows air across the fins, however there are some designs now that have the fan sandwiched between two fin structures.

Case fans are just fans that help propel air through the case. Air usually enters from the side, bottom, or front, and is expelled through the top or back.

XDanger

01-05-11, 01:55 PM

I think a childlike picture drawn in MS Paint would help right about now.

Make it so!

Capt. Picard

01-05-11, 03:19 PM

I think a childlike picture drawn in MS Paint would help right about now.